There is so much to do to prepare for summer. Reserve a large beach house for at least August. Stock up on books to read on the surf side. Replace all winter interiors with a lighter decor, possibly linen. Open the pool. Close the chimneys. Go horseback riding and maybe pickleball. But at the top of the list is unmistakably locking down your wardrobe. Below, discover eight trends to help inform the coming season – from a new gaggle of Technicolor party dresses and suits, to the return of the easy pencil skirt and a new crop of cutouts, to key accessories to pair with all of this.
DRESS CODE: PARTY
Each decade had its reasons for spending time on the dance floor – creating aesthetic distance from hippie culture (1970s), emerging from a major recession (1980s) – but one could argue that spending more than a year at home might be the cause most worthy of celebration. Enter: your uniform of bold, figure-hugging dresses, perhaps very short, designed for nights on the town, clubs at dawn and maybe even your neighborhood barbecue. You deserve it.
BOUTIQUE DRESS CODE: PARTY
NET, NET
When it comes to beach days, the look is decidedly minimal, elevated and clean. In cover-ups, crop tops and dresses, the look is fishnet-inspired and not just a little sexy. Go all the way to the pool and beyond.
SHOP NET, NET
THE BIG WHITE TANK
Before you start claiming that the white tank top is hardly a trend, and rather really a closet staple, allow us to interject. When Prada puts a triangle logo on a white tank top, allowing it to take center stage, and Matthieu Blazy debuts Bottega Veneta with a white tank top and jeans as his first look, the white tank top officially has a moment. Invest in a well-made ribbed tank top, jump on board and wear it with, well, everything.
SHOP THE BIG WHITE TANK TOP
CUT
The cutout culture has taken over. From swimwear to dresses to tops, designers from Tom Ford to Christopher Esber to Valentino have a long peekaboo game with their most loyal customers, and we’re all in on it.
SHOP CUT IT
COSTUMES OF MANY COLORS
While the universal appeal of a great white, black or neutral suit has been well documented in recent seasons, there’s no doubt the world is ready for a little Technicolor. Start with a suit that stands out in a sea of standard separates in shades ranging from orange to cobalt to lavender.
SHOP COSTUMES IN MANY COLORS
JUST SLIDE, BABY
The shoe of the summer looks like a tap that also brings a little lift. Not quite a full rig, it offers some height and is far from tricky. It radiates unabashed ease and freshness. Pair it with everything from long linen dresses to baggy pants.
SHOP JUST SLIDE, BABY
THE RETURN OF THE PENCIL SKIRT
The pencil skirt may have remained a workwear staple, but it hasn’t seen this level of cool girl appeal since Gwyneth Paltrow wore one with an open button in the ’90s movie. great expectations. Anthony Vaccarello went all-in with the pencil skirt for Saint Laurent before fall, as did man-of-the-moment Glenn Martens at Diesel. The trick is to opt for a less fitted, more relaxed skirt and pair it with a fitted, cropped or, like Gwyn, just a little undone top.
SHOP THE RETURN OF THE PENCIL SKIRT
SO MUCH MORE
Accessories add all the flourish to the Summer 2022 story. The main takeaways? The classic clutch is back, pioneered in part by The Row and Saint Laurent. The baseball cap remains the moment, just add a logo. Take your big beach bag… wherever you want. And get ready again for the bangle bracelet. We can almost hear you coming.
BUY SO EXTRA
